Siheyuan: The Temptation of the Mountains

Lin Ze is really lucky.

After saying goodbye to Xue Yao, he actually caught a medium-sized wild boar in the trap he had dug before.

After slaughtering the wild boar, he put it in the backpack. In this way, he finally had an excuse for not being at home in the morning and going out to the mountains.

The farmland of Linjia Village was covered in white snow, and the wheat was covered with heavy snow. Even Lao Ge and Zhao Ming, who were guarding the grain in the shack, had their New Year holiday.

Lin Ze put the wild boar in a backpack, covered the basket with some snow, and trotted down the mountain back to Lin Changgui's home.

Lin Ze gently pushed open the courtyard gate and quietly walked to the door of the wing room. He heard Lin Zhengguo snoring from inside and then he breathed a sigh of relief.

He tiptoed into the kitchen, took out the pork from the basket, cut it into several pieces with a kitchen knife, and prepared to stew a pot of delicious braised pork.

Lin Ze made a fire and cooked meat, and soon the whole house was filled with rich aroma.

At this time, Lin Zhengguo, Lin Changgui and others woke up from their nap and walked in sleepily. When they saw the meat cooking in the pot, their eyes widened immediately.

"This...where did this fresh meat come from?" Lin Changgui asked in surprise.

Lin Ze scratched his head and said with a smile: "Grandpa, I went up the mountain to chop firewood this morning and happened to see a wild boar that fell into a trap, so I caught it and brought it back."

After hearing this, Lin Changgui showed a delighted look on his face and praised: "Good boy, you are really amazing! In this winter, you can still catch a wild boar. You are worthy of being my grandson!"

Lin Ze chuckled and was secretly glad that his lie was not discovered.

"Xiao Ze, it's getting late. We should go back to the city after dinner."

Li Xiuzhen said, "Please don't run into the mountains again. We still have to go home."

Lin Ze nodded and said nothing more.

Liu Ying collected all the prey that Lin Ze had recently hunted and put them into Lin Ze's backpack.

"Xiao Ze, you killed this wild boar, so you should bring it back to the city and eat it with your family."

"No need, grandma. We still have food and meat at home." Lin Ze said.

"Yes, we have some at home." Li Xiuzhen took a closer look at the meat and swallowed her saliva. She had to go back to her parents' home tomorrow on the second day of the Chinese New Year, so she hoped to get some fresh meat to take with her.

"Divide it into three."

After spending these two days together, Lin Zhengguo naturally called out, "Mom."

The word "Mom" made Liu Ying pause as she was packing the pork. "Zhengguo, what did you call me?"

"mom."

Lin Zhengguo smiled and said, "I haven't been back all these years. Thanks to you and Mu Sheng for taking care of Dad. You've worked hard."

Liu Ying was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. With trembling hands, she put the largest portion of pork into Lin Ze's backpack.

"Jungguk, what are you talking about? We are all family, it's not hard for mom. As long as you are doing well, mom will be happy."

Li Xiuzhen looked at this scene and felt somewhat uncomfortable, but she remained silent.

After dinner, Lin Ze’s family said goodbye to Lin Changgui, carried a full basket of pork and New Year’s goods, and set off on the journey back to the city.

On the way, Li Xiuzhen couldn't help but complain to Lin Zhengguo: "What happened to you? Why did you suddenly become a different person and give such a big piece of meat to Lin Musheng?"

"What's wrong with me?" Lin Zhengguo said indifferently, "Am I not telling the truth? Over the years, the two of us have not taken care of Dad for a single day. It was Mu Sheng and his sister-in-law who took care of him in the village. It is only right that we give up the job to him."

Lin Ze smiled and comforted her, "Mom, don't be angry. Dad is right. Thanks to my second uncle and his family for taking care of grandpa all these years, we should thank them. Besides, loving each other as a family is more important than anything else."

Li Xiuzhen sighed and said nothing more.

She knew in her heart that the reason her husband had changed like this was because of his guilt towards his father and his desire for family affection.

But she also longed for family affection. "Okay, I don't care about what happened today. The children will go to their grandmother's house with me tomorrow. The meat in Xiaoze's backpack will just be taken to his grandmother."

"Take them all?" Lin Hao was short and had no adult to hold him, so he walked in the snow with one foot deep and one foot shallow.

"Mom, we only have some bacon left at home. You gave away the new pork that eldest brother bought. What are we going to eat during the first month of the year?" Lin Hao said dissatisfiedly.

"Eat? Just think about eating for yourself. There are so many people in your grandmother's family, but they can't even afford a white flour bun. Compared to them, isn't our family living a life like heaven?"

Li Xiuzhen said, "As for prey, when your eldest brother is free, he can just go up the mountain and we can get some."

Lin Ze listened to Li Xiuzhen's remarks without saying anything, but the warmth in his heart still cooled a little.

"Mom, you and Dad will take Sisi and Lin Hao to grandma's house to pay New Year's greetings tomorrow. I won't go."

Lin Ze smiled and said, "The lake near Grandpa's house is not frozen. I will check to see if Shichahai Lake is frozen tomorrow and try to get some fish out."

"Xiao Ze, don't listen to your mother's nonsense." Lin Zhengguo frowned and said unhappily, "I can't let her give away all the prey you hunted."

The family chatted as they walked. Although the atmosphere was a little unharmonious, they did not quarrel.

As night fell, Lin Ze's family walked into the courtyard, and Li Xiuzhen took out the key to open the warm door of their home.

Lin Sisi, who had been held in Lin Zhengguo's arms on the way, had fallen asleep a long time ago. Lin Hao was also drowsy, but insisted on walking home, then he dived into the quilt in the inner room and fell asleep.

The next day is a new day.

Li Xiuzhen put on new cotton-padded jackets for herself and Lin Sisi. The cotton inside and the cloth outside the jackets were all exchanged by Lin Ze from Pigeon Market.

Lin Zhengguo and Lin Hao also wore new clothes and prepared to go to Li Laoyingzi to pay New Year's greetings.

Only Lin Ze didn't have breakfast. He got up early and went out to fish.

"What kind of temper does this child have? He refuses to go to his grandmother's house even when we ask him to." Li Xiuzhen frowned, very dissatisfied with Lin Ze's attitude.

"Okay, just say a few words."

Lin Zhengguo said, "Lin Ze is already sensible enough, he just doesn't want to go to his grandmother's house. Aren't you taking three people back to your mother's house together? Stop complaining."

"I know this child is excellent, but it is precisely because of his excellence that I want to take him to his grandmother's house and praise him."

"Mom, my brother doesn't need anyone to praise him. He just wants to be nice to us." Lin Hao said.

"Big Pigeon won't be nice to someone he doesn't like."

Lin Ze happened to be in Shichahai and met Yan Bugui who was also out fishing.

Lin Ze, who arrived an hour earlier, greeted with a smile, "Uncle, you're not going out to pay New Year's greetings today?"

"I don't need to go today. Why didn't you go out to visit your grandma today?"